STATE COLLEGE – It’s no secret that marquee match-ups make the most enticing games for college football recruits and commits to attend. As much as many Penn State football hopefuls and commits have already been to Beaver Stadium this season for a non-conference game there’s something about a White Out that just helps sell the program and give them a taste of what the game day experience is all about.

“My first Penn State game that I visited for was Penn State vs. Michigan,” senior safety Malcolm Willis said. “I remember Anthony Scirrotto making big hits over the middle, Drew Astorino making big plays and guys like that in the secondary doing the things that they were doing.

“As a young kid seeing the type of crowd that came out to the game that day it was amazing to me. I had never seen that amount of people come out to see a football game in my life. It definitely impacts a young kid. … It stays with you for a long time. I can still remember how excited I was to come out and see the crowd and see the team come out and perform.”

Penn State is expected to host approximately 100 prospects for Saturday’s sold-out game. Some of the notable names among the group include 2014 tight end Mike Gesicki, linebacker Jason Cabinda, defensive lineman Thomas Holley, as well as 2015 four-star linebacker Justin Hilliard, five-star cornerback Minkah Fitzpatrick and twin recruiting targets Andrew and David Dowell. There will also be several walk-on candidates in the group and most likely some 2016 recruits as well.

Making sure Penn State puts on a good show both before and during the game will be an important factor for these prospects. Some of them have camped at Penn State so they’ve seen what the area looks like in the middle of summer but seeing it for Homecoming and from the sidelines before the game will be a much bigger deal.

If Penn State puts together a performance like it did last week during an ugly loss at Indiana, that could detract from the message Bill O’Brien, his staff and team are trying to send to these prospects about having a competitive team even during the NCAA sanctions.

“I remember going to the Notre Dame game when I was a sophomore in high school,” linebacker Mike Hull said. “It was the first full stadium White Out and it was just a great experience. I don’t think any other stadium in college football can duplicate that. I think it’s a major selling point for recruits and I think they’ll enjoy it this weekend especially with us playing Michigan.”

For those commits planning to enroll early like White, it will be one of their final chances to see Beaver Stadium at night with packed stands.

“I knew when I committed I was going to be a January enrollee so I took my official visit on the Illinois game in 2008,” center Ty Howle said. “It was the White Out game that season and it was against a good Illinois team. The crowd was unbelievable, an 8 o’clock game, it was electric.

“As a high schooler it was like this is where I’m going to spend my next five years at and I think that’s something that will definitely be there this Saturday.”

Added senior linebacker Glenn Carson who was also at the Illinois game in 2008: “You could feel the tradition and the roots and stuff while you were at the game and it was a huge crowd and great fan support. For those recruits I think that they’re going to really enjoy the game and kind of see what we’re all about.”